Technology has made many advances that makes everyday life easier for most of society. As technology has evolved, numerous methodologies and practices have been found to streamline processes and combine technologies to harness new features. One such example is the power over Ethernet (POE) system which enables both electrical power and data to be sent via the same cabling. POE eliminates the need for multiple inputs on an electronic device as well as removes the need for additional lengths of wiring and places to store this additional wiring. In practice, some electronic devices that implement POE are voice over IP (VOIP) phones, IP cameras, and network routers/switches.
In addition to POE technologies, many everyday objects now incorporate “smart” technologies and can be used, interconnected, and accessed from a variety of locations forming what is commonly referred to as the “internet of things.” For example, electronic files can be stored in the “cloud.” This enables a person to provide their credentials and access the files anywhere in the world. All that is required is an internet enabled connection independent of a dedicated electronic device being attached to that file. However, technology in this area still has its drawbacks.
While one can monitor, manipulate, and otherwise access machines and information remotely, if the machine becomes “hung up” or crashes, then one must still physically send a person to restart or reboot the machine or connected device. Typically this requires taking an individual off a job or even hiring an outside contractor to resolve the issue. The necessity of sending a person to manually complete this reboot costs the company time and money. Further, the downed equipment may cause consumer dissatisfaction in the event the machine is a generally standalone piece of equipment such as an automated teller machine (ATM).
Thus, it is desirable to have an apparatus and methodology that would enable a crashed or hung-up or otherwise non-operational electronic device to be rebooted remotely. Further, by employing a POE connection to the electronic device, the benefits of a POE system can be combined with an automated monitoring and rebooting thus saving time and money for all involved. The present invention and its embodiments meets and exceeds these objectives. Review of related technology:
U.S. Pat. No. 8,504,810 pertains to a method relating to a computer usable medium and computer system circuitry are for starting or “booting up” a computer from a remote location using a remote command device such as a cellular telephone. The method and system includes a secure means for remotely storing and transmitting security passwords.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,493,502 pertains to a remote access power (“RAP”) hub for kiosks and information booths with multiple peripherals. The RAP hub provides power at different levels to accommodate different electronic devices and peripherals. The RAP hub also acts as a powered USB hub for connecting multiple USB devices to the devices and peripherals. The RAP hub further has communications functionality so that signals can be transmitted through a network to the hub for controlling the devices and peripherals remotely. The RAP hub is an all-in-one power hub with various power outputs and remote access command. It is designed to support and manage a number of devices and peripherals while avoiding multiple power adapters. A connector block allows the routing of power within multifunction devices, thus eliminating the need for special-ordered wiring harness.
U.S. Patent Application 2005/0257041 pertains to a remote reboot device that allows unattended computer systems to be rebooted or restarted from a remote location. The remote reboot device uses the reset pins on a logic board of a computer system to effectuate a reboot. The remote reboot device includes a network interface for secure communication over a network. A user performs a login procedure to set up a secure communication with the remote reboot device and then selects one or more server to reboot. The remote reboot device sends appropriate signals to the reset pins to perform the reboot operation. Multiple computer systems can be controlled with a single remote reboot device. Alternatively, the remote reboot device may be attached to the power control pins on the logic board of the computer system and use an appropriate signaling sequence to reboot the system.
Various devices are known in the art. However, their structure and means of operation are substantially different from the present disclosure. The other inventions fail to solve all the problems taught by the present disclosure. At least one embodiment of this invention is presented in the drawings below and will be described in more detail herein.